The present invention relates to a vehicle occupant safety apparatus and, more particularly, to a vehicle occupant safety apparatus having an actuatable restraint module.
A known vehicle occupant safety apparatus includes a plurality of actuatable restraint modules. Each restraint module includes an initiator that is energizable to actuate the restraint module. The initiator includes two pins that extend outwardly from a main body portion of the initiator. A connector is associated with each initiator. The connector includes two receptacles, each sized for receiving a pin of the initiator. When the pins of the initiator are received in the receptacles of the connector, the initiator and the connector become electrically connected. Two electrical wires extend from the connector. One electrical wire connects to each receptacle of the connector. The two electrical wires also connect to a control module. The control module communicates with the initiator via electrical signals that are transmitted through the electrical wires.
Since two electrical wires are associated with each restraint module in a vehicle, the wires of the known apparatus in total require a relatively large space. Additionally, the electrical wires associated with the restraint modules of the vehicle add weight to the vehicle.
The present invention is a vehicle occupant safety apparatus. The apparatus comprises a sensor for sensing a vehicle crash condition and generating a signal indicative of the crash condition. The apparatus also comprises a control module for receiving the signal from the sensor and generating a demand-to-fire signal if the crash condition is above a threshold level. The apparatus further comprises a plurality of restraint modules for, when actuated, helping to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash condition. Each restraint module has at least one initiator energizable to actuate the restraint module. A restraint communication bus is connected to the control module and transfers the demand-to-fire signal from the control module to the restraint modules. A connector is associated with each initiator for receiving the demand-to-fire signal from the control module. Each initiator and the associated connector collectively form a transformer. The demand-to-fire signal is inductively coupled to the initiator for actuating the restraint module.